One-Time Tests Show Nothing

The Hartford Courant opines that teacher evaluations should be based on how well students do on a standardized test [April 23, editorial, "Back To Squishy Teacher Evals"].

The student takes a test based on what he has learned over the past 10 years. If the student cares and is having a good day, then the most recent teacher is considered competent because, according to The Courant, this one teacher has guided the child from genetic counseling through childbirth, worked with the parents to raise the child to value learning, followed the child through elementary school and made sure that the child had a good breakfast the day of the test.

While politicians like to think that children are a product and can be rated by standardized tests, students are not widgets. All the product analogy does is turn future mechanics, builders, and artists into failed college students. If you really want to evaluate teachers on how well the product they turn out does on a test, then let them choose their raw materials like private schools do.

The only way to evaluate education is to look 20 years down the road and see if the student has grown up to be a happy and productive member of society. That is the only test that works.